Guidelines on agenda

via Guidelines on agenda | The Herald 12 November 2014 by Zvamaida Murwira

The Zanu-PF Politburo meets tomorrow to discuss several issues affecting the party, one of which would be the guidelines for elections to choose the revolutionary party’s Central Committee members ahead of the National People’s Congress early next month.

President Mugabe appoints the party’s Politburo members from a pool of Central Committee members, making their election crucial.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo said guidelines would be discussed at tomorrow’s Politburo meeting paving way for provinces to elect party members to be deployed to the Central Committee organ.

“We certainly hope that we will finalise that on Thursday when we have our Politburo meeting,” he said. “It will be after the Politburo meeting when we will announce the guidelines.”

Some provinces had earmarked this weekend to start the elections.

“We need to formalise the announcement of the commencement of the elections so that all provinces can start,” said Cde Gumbo.

“Once we meet as the Politburo we will make the necessary announcement.”

According to rules that were unveiled by the party’s legal department in July this year, one should have served in the party for at least 15 years for him or her to qualify for election into the Central Committee.

For the five of the 15 years, an aspiring candidate should have served as a provincial executive.

Candidates should not have been subjected to a criminal conviction or insolvency and must not have been found guilty by the party’s disciplinary committee in the past five years.

The election for Central Committee members comes at a time when at least six provincial chairperson have lost their posts through a vote of no confidence due to various allegations of transgression levelled against them.

These are Cdes Amos Midzi (Harare) Temba Mliswa (Mashonaland West) Ray Kaukonde (Mashonaland East) Jason Machaya (Midlands) Andrew Langa (Matabeleland South) and Kalisto Gwanetsa (Masvingo).

The provincial chairpersons were fingered in fanning factionalism in their jurisdiction and undermining the First Family, particularly with respect to Cde Kaukonde.

The Politburo will have to determine whether those elected as interim chairpersons would become Central Committee members or fresh election should be held.

Provincial chairperson are ex-officio members of the Central Committee.

Election of Central Committee members would be the last lap towards congress after women and youth elections were held in August.